


A restless night

by LazyAdmiral



Series: Disaster Mage Trio one-shots [5]
Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age - All Media Types, Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-14
Packaged: 2021-03-23 00:54:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,133
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30047454
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/LazyAdmiral/pseuds/LazyAdmiral
Summary: If asked later, he would deny yelping like a frightened hound and jolting back hard enough that after a moment’s dangerous teetering, his cot upturned, depositing him on the uncaring ground with a dull ‘thud’.-Prompt fill for Tumblr. Sent to the Forbidden Oasis, Alexius struggles to sleep.
Relationships: Gereon Alexius/Orsino
Series: Disaster Mage Trio one-shots [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2208723





	A restless night

**Author's Note:**

> Prompt: An unexpected kiss

The Forbidden Oasis was a lonely, hollow sort of place, despite the lush greenery and seemingly never-ending trail of wildlife (and the occasional team of Venatori sent to try and reclaim the research post, of course). The sound of the falls near camp drowned out nearly all other noise, and with the moons waning, the night was pitch dark inside Alexius’ tent, leaving him with an odd sense of utter isolation – regardless of the scouts and other Inquisition soldiers doubtless nearby.

Still, unlike the Western Approach or the Hissing Wastes, the high canyon walls at least kept the temperature tolerable, protecting them from the worst of the baking heat during the day and trapping some semblance of warmth at night. Orsino had still grumbled for most of the trip, but Alexius suspected that was more to do with missing a comfortable bed than anything else.

Speaking of Orsino…

Alexius eyed the other side of the tent, only barely able to make out the rough shadow of the empty cot. The former First Enchanter was clearly working late on the runes he’d found near the temple. It wasn’t the first time Orsino had gotten lost in his work and normally Alexius would have joined him, if only to eventually remind him that he was, in fact, a mere mortal and needed sleep just like everyone else. But the Solasan temple…

No, it wasn’t just the temple. It was the shards that opened those curious doors, and how he’d learned about them – one more horrifying thread back to the creature he’d once bent at the knee to.

Perhaps that was why he couldn’t stand this place.

He tried for a few more long minutes to will himself to sleep, urging the noise of the waterfalls and the strange echoing quality of the air to the back of his mind. Closing his eyes made no difference. The darkness remained just as deep and foreboding and he became almost certain he heard the rustling of… _something_ , beneath the crash of water and the faint whistle of the evening breeze through the canyons. Alexius sat up, narrowing his eyes as he tried to listen for the noise again, ears straining in the dark.

But there were only the sounds of the night around him. With a sigh, Alexius rested back against the bed, scrubbing a hand over his face – he’d need to shave in the morning, unless he wanted to start resembling some unkempt hermit – before turning over onto his side, facing the fabric wall of the tent.

Eyes closed again, he resolutely set to getting at least a few hours of sleep. Every so often, he thought he caught another sound – the rustling of cloth, something scraping against stone – but it was so quiet and when he tried to listen it seemed to vanish, melting away like so much smoke.

At some point, he supposed he must have drifted, albeit fitfully because he came to having rolled onto his other side at some point. He was blinking into the empty dark, trying to figure out what had disturbed him when he suddenly felt breath on his cheek, followed by the brush of lips.

If asked later, he would deny yelping like a frightened hound and jolting back hard enough that after a moment’s dangerous teetering, his cot upturned, depositing him on the uncaring ground with a dull ‘thud’.

“ _Maker’s_ – vhenan, are you–?” Orsino’s voice hissed somewhere in the inky black above him and after a moment, he saw the slightly eerie luminous glow of the elf’s gaze as he leaned over the edge of the cot.

“I’m fine,” Alexius groaned, embarrassment setting in as he quickly pieced together what had happened. With it came the temptation to lie there a little longer in the vain hopes the ground might be merciful and swallow him up.

No such luck.

“I thought – you were looking around, I assumed you were awake. I apologise, I should have–” Orsino began, and Alexius waved a hand, unable to see it himself but assuming the other would as he levered himself into a sitting position.

“I didn’t see you there, that’s all. That and this damned place puts me on edge,” he admitted. “Hardly you’re fault I’m out of sorts.”

He let Orsino help him to his feet, having to guide himself by touch and the twin glow of the other man’s eyes in the dark.

“I admit, I forget sometimes how little humans can see in the dark,” Orsino said with a low chuckle once Alexius was back on his feet. “It was useful, back in the Circle, especially for getting around patrols.”

Alexius hummed, gingerly righting the cot and attempting to find his bedding against the tent floor.

“Yes, I can just see you sneaking around after dark, trying to spook unsuspecting Templars and sending them chasing after shadows.”

That got another laugh, deep with a hint of slyness.

“I admit nothing.”

Alexius snorted, then made a soft, irritated sound in the back of his throat. At some point, the edge of the tent had lifted and the wind had blown sand inside. Most of his bedding was now covered in the stuff, and he doubted he’d be able to get rid of most of it until morning.

“Have I mentioned I despise deserts?” he muttered, trying in vain to shake out the worst of it.

He felt Orsino take his hand, pulling him away from the bed.

“Leave it for the morning. Given I’m to blame for the mess, it’s only fair I share.”

Alexius shook his head – really those cots were barely comfortable for one person, let alone two – but then Orsino’s touch drifted up, fingertips cool against either side of his face and he found any argument he might have made evaporating on his tongue.

Orsino moved slowly, as if worried about startling him again, those curiously fascinating eyes and the warmth of his breath coming closer the only sign he was moving at all before their lips met. His eyes slipped closed, a quiet groan caught in his throat that seemed both loud and muffled in the darkness. There was a part of him that mourned not being able to look his fill – the sight of Orsino relaxed and aglow with affection was a rare and beautiful thing – but there was a strange comfort in surrendering his senses and letting his lover guide him back to the waiting cot.

In the morning, waking to Orsino draped over him like a second blanket, Alexius would concede that the cots really were not made for more than one occupant and that his back was probably going to complain for a few days. But for the first time since they’d arrived in that Maker-forsaken hole, he woke with a smile.


End file.
